Toy Poodle

Height: 10 - 10 inches
Weight: 4 - 8 pounds
Life span: 12 - 14 years
AKC group: Non Sporting
AKC rank: 8

Breed History | Background:

Although the standard poodle is the original version of the poodle, it wasn’t long before smaller versions appeared as well.
The first good evidence of toy poodles in Europe dates from about 1700, although it almost certainly predates that time.
The toy poodle was originally used as a lap dog, circus performer, and gypsy trick dog.
The French aristocracy became enamored with the poodle and adopted it as its own. It eventually became the national dog of France.
The French upper class enjoyed styling and even dying its hair in a variety of fashions.
The first evidence of toy poodles in America dates from 1846.
The AKC recognized the poodle in 1887. Only later did they split the breed into three varieties according to size.
After a period in the 1920s during which they almost vanished from the American scene, poodles staged a comeback in the 1930s.
Poodles were the most popular breed in America from 1960 to 1982, the longest continuous run of any breed.

Behavioral concerns:

Makes a biddable and affectionate companion.
Playful and very good with children, although very young or unruly children may hurt it with rough play.
Friendly to strangers, other dogs and other pets.
Does best with reward-based training involving food, games or praise.
Eager to please, bright and responsive, poodles are among the easiest of dogs to train.
Loves to learn tricks.
Excels at obedience and agility competitions, as well as therapy dog work.
Some may bark a lot, but can be easily trained not to.

Suggested exercise needs:

Makes a well-mannered and alert housedog.
A daily walk around the block, coupled with several play sessions, will meet its exercise needs.
Enjoys retrieving small objects.
Does well in dog parks as long as large dogs are segregated.
Games and tricks provide needed mental exercise.
Its thick coat provides some protection against cold weather, but its small body size makes it vulnerable to chilling.

Grooming:

Coat is curly, harsh and dense.
Brushing and combing every other day is necessary to prevent matting.
Most people have their dogs professionally clipped every six weeks.
Most people opt for a pet clip where the hair is fairly short all over.
Shedding is below average.
The eyes should be checked regularly for hair or lashes that may irritate their surface.
No breed is actually non-allergenic, but poodles may cause allergies in fewer people compared to other breeds.
Hair growing inside the ears may need to be plucked out or clipped.

Suggested Nutritional Needs:

Poodles tend to stay in good weight or to be a little overweight. The thick coat can sometimes obscure weight problems, so be sure to use your hands to feel.
Adult dogs should be fed a balanced diet, with restricted calories if the dog starts to gain too much weight.
Small snacks can cause weight problems in tiny dogs.
Toy poodle puppies should be fed often to prevent hypoglycemia, a serious condition to which very small puppies are prone. Frequent small meals of high protein, fat, and complex carbohydrates may help guard against this condition.

Medical conditions seen:

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